


You Look So Beautiful Today

by sodagiraffe



Category: Amazingphil - Fandom, Danisnotonfire - Fandom, Phan, Phandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Coffee Shops, Cupcakes, Existential Crisis, Friends to Lovers, Like really slow, M/M, Slow Build, WIP, also more youtubers, and probably even more band members, i know i do, you may feel hungry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-03
Updated: 2017-04-26
Packaged: 2018-07-11 22:31:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7073104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sodagiraffe/pseuds/sodagiraffe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dan has been living life in black and white, like every lonely soul around, until he finally meets him.<br/>With Phil, he can enjoy life in full color.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Well Let's Go Back To The Middle Of The Day That Started All

The first time they saw each other was the most confusing moment of their lives.

They were walking down the street. There was so many people that for them it was just another person, but their souls shook in such a way their knees failed and their chests and fingertips ached.

Dan thought that that was it, he was only nineteen years old but he was having a goddamned heart attack and he was going to die right there in the middle of the street. But nothing happened.

Phil stopped walking and leaned on a wall, his forehead suddenly sweaty, his breath itching.

They both continued on walking after a minute as if nothing had happened, though Phil was going to check on internet about what it meant to get winded while walking, and Dan was going to wait till the next time he felt that to set an appointment with a doctor.

You see, no one expects to find their soulmate on the street. No one even expects to find them at all. Those things just doesn't happen. It doesn't mean that other couples aren't happy or don't work, but, soulmates? Colors? Nah bro. You live your life, do your things, and everything is black and white. And that's how the world works, and has always worked for them. Until then, of course.

That night Phil opened his laptop and typed his question on the search bar.

There was a whole lot of possibilities, each one worse than the one before. He didn't want to freak out, it's probably nothing, he thought and as he was about to close it when a word catched his attention. Soulmate.

Have you found your soulmate yet? How to find out in three steps!

Alright, it was one of those stupid websites with probably lots of advertising and terribly writing but he clicked anyways.

Step 1: Physical Symptoms  
If you feel shaky, sweaty, aching, if you get winded while walking, if you fall to the ground or need to take a seat or if you just pass out, then you have probably found your soulmate!

Okay, this was totally accurate But then again, it could be literally anything. He continued to read the next step.

Step 2: Low Concentration  
It's common to lose concentration the first two or three times you see your soulmate. If you act too silly, don't worry, it's a good signal!

Well he had no idea, there was a lot of people, it could have been anyone!

Step 3: Colors  
I'm sure that's what brought you here in first place! According to the story you will be able to see in color if you find your soulmate. (More about the story and it's origin here)  
Little hints of color at first, but eventually every shade will be in front of you!

Yep, cheesy. That's ridiculous. He grew up hearing that tale, and that's what it was, a legend, a myth, a story you tell little kids. It wasn't real. Could it be? He had never witnessed it, but people on the internet always said they had found their life partner. He could have found his... he really hoped he could, he really hoped that life would treat him well and present him his soulmate. Phil closed his laptop yawning. He fell asleep thinking about what would happen if it was real, if he met his soulmate and they lived a long life together.

He wondered about how they were, the sound of their laugh and the touch of their hands. He smiled against his pillow with his eyes closed and sighed.

Dan fell asleep while watching TV on the couch. He hadn't thought about the situation back in the street. He should have went to sleep early, but he didn't.

You can call it destiny, luck, good vibes, a plan of the Universe itself or whatever. The thing is that this is how starts it all.


	2. In The Howling Wind Comes A Stinging Rain

"Hey, you're early, I thought I'd have to open."

"Hi, Frankie. We're out of coffee in the front, you should go check that on the back."

"Sure, you just take care of the tables." Frank disappeared behind the counter and reappeared seconds after.

"It's going to rain like hell today."

"Yeah, that's good for the business, y'know, lots of people on the street, it's cold outside. Everyone loves coffe!"

"Well that's true, and... done. Should we open?"

"The tables are ready, what time is it?"

"Eight o'clock."

"I'm going to open." Phil opened the door (the tiny bell rang) and took off the sign that said 'closed'.  
________

Dan woke up and shifted uncomfortably on the couch. His entire back was hurting, and his neck too. He had a blanket covering him and the TV was off. He turned it on and put on a news channel.

"Oh my fucking- oh shit no." It was eight past ten, and considering he had an exam at eight, he was kind of terribly late.

Dan saw a note on the fridge as he ran to his room to change clothes, he didn't read it, though. He entered his room and picked up a pair of black skinny jeans, a black t-shirt and a gray sweater.

He took his backpack and tossed some papers inside, trying not to ruin them but making a mess anyways. He had a short shower and brushed his teeth quickly. Even when he was hurried he had to straighten his hair, and so he did.

Dan took his backpack, and ran downstairs. He grabbed his keys and cellphone from the living room and read the note while opening the fridge.

Sweetie, there's no coffee nor milk. I'll be back late today.  
Mom

"Ah, fantastic," he grumbled going out and closing the door.

Halfway to the bus stop it started raining.

"Oh, brilliant!", he gripped his backpack tighter and it broke. "Oh no, no, Jesus."

His bag had a giant hole and some papers fell of it. He tried to tie the backpack with it's shoulder-straps and kept on walking half-hugging it.

The rain was getting stronger and he had nowhere to go. Except the stores that were around the street, but he had to go to the university. So he kept on walking... until a car passed by and splashed his shoes too. He was hungry, sleepy, wet, and late for his class. He crossed the street and entered the coffee shop in front of him.

A little bell rang and he looked around awkwardly until he spotted an empty table. He tossed his wet bag on the table and sat.

A guy with tattooed hands stood next to the table and asked what would he like.

"Uhm coffee. Black, please."

"Sure, sweetheart. Hey Phil" he shouted moving to another table, "black coffee for the walking soup on table nine."

Dan rolled his eyes and opened his backpack, trying to fix the papers inside. But they were all wet and some were ripped and he could barely read them. His hair was also a huge disaster, so the time he'd spent fixing it had been worthless.

He sighed and rested his face on his hands thinking about what to do next.  
________

Phil served a couple more tables before trying to find the 'walking soup' that had ordered the black coffee. The guy was sat almost at the back of the place, alone in a table with a very soaked bag on his side.

"That must be him..." he mumbled going around the counter and grabbing the cup of coffee.

As he approached the customer he started trembling. He was getting nervous and more nervous the closer he was to him.  
________

He had his head still buried on his hands and was starting to wonder were his coffee was.

It was, of course, not the only doubt on his head. Not even close.

You see, this is Dan's problem: he doesn't know. Anything.

He didn't know the meaning of life, for starters. But he was also very concerned about the way the world works, he was confused about how it should work.

Dan didn't want to grow up, neither. He just didn't feel ready for grown-up things like a job, or taxes (he didn't even know how they worked), or living on his own, or socializing.

He'd lie in his bed for hours listening to music, or in the floor, staring at the window, the little piece of grey sky and street cables. He would talk to Tyler now and then or even go downstairs and get some snacks.

Lately, though, it was just studies. Laws and clauses and books and proceeding and dying because he just couldn't cope with it.

So he had been going back to the music-floor-window-wondering rutine. And he had a lot of time to think. Too much time, in fact.

Too many questions and not even enough answers.

And now, he was sat on a coffee shop, all soaked, his hair was a mess, he was cold, his bag had a rip on the fabric and his papers were all fucked up. It was just nine in the morning and he was so bloody done. He was hungry and where the fuck was his coffee?

He raised his head from his hands and that, though they didn't know, was the second time they saw each other.

Time didn't stop, but they felt their breath fail for a moment. Dan's hands fell on the table and Phil's knees went weak the moment light grey crashed against black when their gazes met for split a second.

But they both moved their eyes away, Phil looking at the cup of coffe he was having trouble balancing on the plate, while Dan stared blankly at the table.

"He-here's your coffee" Phil placed the hot cup in front of Dan, "anything else?"

"Uhm no, thanks." Phil nodded and went away, his breath was itching again so he picked a chair and sat behind the counter.

"Yo Phil, work you lazy ass" Frank poked his head and then stopped to look at him. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I think... my chest felt, just felt heavy for a moment. It's okay now."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," he jumped back to work. He was definitely going to get a doctor appointment later.

It was nine and a half by the time Dan finished his coffee. His hair was dry and curly, but most of his clothes were still wet. He decided what to do next: going to university or back home.

Though he had had enough for a day, he had to go to class, and so he did.  
________

Phil survived the rest of the day without his legs going weak or his breath failing. Distracted serving coffee, cleaning after people, taking orders and 'oh Frank don't eat a spoonful of sugar' he hadn't had a lot of time to think about it.

When the first guy from the next shift arrived Phil and Frank looked at each other, the latest warning him not to leave him alone with the black haired man walking towards them while the other just smiled as if saying 'I will and you can't stop me'. Frank huffed and continued serving.

"Hey!" The guy greeted, leaning on the counter.

"Hi, wash your hands and help me with the coffee machine." Phil wandered off to serve some cupcakes.

"Sure." Frank showed up then, going around the counter to the back and tossing some dirty cups on it.

"Hey you're late. Are those new comics?" Frank pointed to the plastic bag he was holding in one hand.

"Yeah," he was trying to keep his cool but he was always willing to talk about comic books. Gerard raised the other hand, that was stuck in his pocket, and fixed his hair before placing the bag on top of the counter. "Wanna look?"

"Gerard, the coffee machine!"

"Okay, okay," he took off his jacket and went straight to the coffee machine. "Aren't you guys planning on leaving me alone, right?"

"Frank is going to stay until Lind-Z makes it here, right Frank?" Phil takes off his apron and hurriedly grabs his jacket before the midget has an opportunity to say something. "Bye, guys!"

"Wash the filter!" said Gerard waving goodbye. Frank just stared at him as if saying 'how dare you'.

Phil smiled with encouragement and opened the door. "I'll remember that next time!" He chuckled.

He walked down the street and now with his mind empty, he started wondering if the thing about the soulmates and colors and weakening sensations could be actually happening to him. If it could be actually happening again. Phil was 4 years old, and was in his first day of kindergarten when it happened for the very first time. There was a girl on his class, a blonde girl with long braided hair. She had died not even a week after that, in a car accident with her family. Phil never saw colours again. His mom explained that souls have a bond, and she looked very sad for him, because his bond was broken. Phil had had to accept it, and with the years he'd come to terms with it. He stopped thinking about colors, or soulmates, he never grew too attached to them anyways. He didn't even remembet the colors he'd learned the name of. Besides, his soulmate was probably reubicated somewhere else, and it was going to be hard to find.

Phil was about to walk to the bus stop when he saw it. He catched a glimpse of color in the scarf of a girl passing by. He looked at it until the girl disappeared. But even then, the color was still in that woman's coat, or the hair of that couple of punks, even in the tie of an old man!

It was color!

He called his mom, because there was no doubt now, and she told him to go to her house.

He took the bus to her mom's place and spent the whole time looking through the window, enjoying the appearing of his new color.

His mom received him with a long hug and a kiss on the forehead. She handed him a paper repeatedly folded and gave him a handful of advice such as 'don't force things' or 'don't expect anything and you won't be disappointed' and even 'call me when you figure out who is it'.

She had to leave so they both stepped outside and as she closed the door, she faced him. "And if you need something, anything, just call me."

"Sure, mom" they hugged.

Once home, he unfolded the paper. It had little rectangles with colours and it's respective names below. The colour he was able to see now was burdeos, so he drew a little smiley face next to the name.  
________

That night Dan arrived home and noticed he had forgotten his keys inside. So he sat next to the door to wait. And as the night started to take over the sky, thoughts started filling his mind.

What was going to happen with his bad grades at university? Was even a good decision to study law? His mom was so going to kill him, he didn't even want to think about it.

Oh, and he was going to need a doctor appointment.

He was hungry and had some money left, so he wondered if he could go for more coffee to that coffee shop a couple blocks away. He didn't know what time it closed though, so he didn't go.

Dan finally decided on wasting the las bit of battery left on his mp3.

The sky was already dark, he noticed, humming to the tune of a Fall Out Boy song, and the stars that were visible despite the street lights were already shining. But as he kept staring to it, he noticed something was weirdly off about it. It was an un-black shade of black, a black that wasn't black, it was slightly less dark than black, a weird black. The night sky wasn't black and Dan couldn't explain it, because there was no word for that feeling.

Not even for a moment he thought it might be color, it didn't even cross the back of his head.

He silently thanked God or whoever that had determined that there wasn't going to rain that night. It was still cold outside and it gave him chills, though. When his mom arrived, she found him half-asleep, sat next to the door, hugging his knees.

"What arre you doing here?" She asked.

"I forgot my keys. The sky is wrong." He answered. She opened the door and Dan stood up. "I'm hungry," he added, entering the house.

Dan went straight to sleep, the last thing he saw before drifting away was the piece of sky and cables he could see from his window.

"Weird sky." He mumbled. And fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! Thanks to the people who commented ♥ I'll be posting weekly, I hope. So, see you next week!  
> And remember this is also on wattpad, same title and username :)


	3. Colours Black And White Too Long

The sun was high, the birds were singing, there were just a few clouds in the sky and Phil was glowing. Ever since he woke up to the revelation that he hadn't been dreaming at all (though when he went to the kitchen he discovered that the lion in the fridge was, in fact, a dream) he had been shining with this inner happiness. And, more important, hope.

"What's up with you today?" Gerard asked.

"What do you mean?" Phil asked back placing the empty cups in the counter and taking the ones Gerard handed him.

Phil went to the tables and came back to take the cakes.

"You are glowing like a pregnant woman."

"Like a what?"

Frank shot him a look.

"Tell the story quick, I gotta hurry, the boys are waiting."

"Well, here it comes," Phil placed the cups in order on the counter and took a cupcake from behind the glass. "But you gotta be ready," he said taking a bite "because it's huge."

Frank and Gerard exchanged a look.

"How huge?" And the three of them got closer.

"I met someone yesterday. Someone special." He whispered, not being able to contain himself anymore.

"Special as in..." Gerard gestured for him to continue.

"Oh, Gerard, don't you see it?" Frank shaked Gerard's arm and jumped a couple of times. "He has found them! His soulmate!"

"Oh my god, can you see colors?"

"Just one at the moment, but they will be more when I get to see her again." He said smiling.

"When will that be?"

"I don't know her, I mean, I've seen her but without knowing it was her."

"So you can't be sure it is a she, your soulmate could be a boy" Frank said reflexively.

"Yeah, I guess" Phil shrugged and took another bite. "As long as we're happy I don't really mind."

Gerard went away to take the orders and Frank sighed.

"See you tomorrow, kiddo."

But Phil's soulmate didn't show up that day nor the next. In fact, it took weeks, and the only color in Phil's sight was already starting to fade. Frank had told him to keep on waiting and so Phil tried not to lose all hope. He still could see some bits of bordeaux, right?

He tried to get out of work at the exact same time everyday and did the same walk to the bus stop during the first three weeks.

After that he had looked through the website again and had found out that the color appears a bit after the encounters. That meant it was someone in the coffee shop. Someone that hadn't came back. Still, Gerard assured him that she was going to show up one day eventually.

So he waited and waited. Until a week before Christmas. He had been in the kitchen, baking the whole day. When he went to the front and rested an arm on the counter, it happened. The cupcake he was just tasting suddenly became a strong shade of burdeaux and he stopped mid-bite to stare at it.

"Hey, are you going to actually eat it or what?"

Phil took the cupcake away from his mouth and chewed a little before saying:

"It has color."

"Holy shit, really?" Frank got closer and looked at the cupcake, clearly unable to see what Phil saw.

He just widened his eyes in response. Frank looked at Phil, then at the cupcake and back at Phil. He opened his mouth but didn't say anything.

"It's bordeaux" he explained, "I started seeing it a couple weeks ago but it's brighter than ever.

"What does that mean?"

Phil thought for a moment then widened his eyes again.

"They must be here."

They both looked around as if waiting for the person to hold a neon sign.

"Do you feel any different?"

The effect of the first times must have vanished because Phil wandered his eyes around the shop and didn't feel any different.

"No" he answered and shrugged.

Frank smiled at him.

"Maybe later, dude. You should take your camera though."

"Good idea."

Phil went to the kitchen and turned off the oven. He walked past it to the room at the end of the kitchen and took his filming camera out of his backpack.

"Phil! How are those cupcakes going?" Gerard yelled from the front.

"I'm on it!" He opened the oven and checked his baking. "They're nice, would you like to make half of them?"

"Sure!" Gerard entered the room as Phil turned the camera on. "Hey stop filming!" He said covering his face.

"Do a pose!"

Gerard laughed and put a hand down on his hip and the other one in the air.

"I am very extremely fabulous." He broke the pose and went to the cabinet where they kept the coloring stuff.

"I don't think that's grammatically correct."

"Shut up. Christmas is Green and Red, right?" He said reading the labels.

"Yes but I already made the cupcakes of a bordeaux tone because I've read that it's similar to red. So use Green and Gold. I'm going to the front."

"Alright."

"It's Christmas!" Phil said filming the decorations they had around the coffe shop.

"Hey." Frank greeted the camera.

"Today could be the day" Phil whispered.

Dan decided to go to that one coffee shop on his way home. Even if it was snowing a little and he was wearing just a jumper he walked. Because Dan liked cold. He liked rain and snow and he very rarely didn't like them. And as he had showed up that day to talk with a teacher about an essay due the last day, he was now ready for two weeks of glorious dead time starting now. Drinking hot chocolate, of course.

Just like the last time when it was raining, the coffe shop was full of people. Dan didn't even get to sit at the back. Nope, he had to go straight to one of those tall bar-like chairs in the counter. There was a door behind it so Dan sat as far from it as he could and a guy approached him instantly.

"What can I get you, sweetheart?"

"Uhm a hot chocolate, please."

"S'that all?" American accent, Dan noticed.

"Yes."

"Alright," the guy walked away. Dan thought he was the same that had taken his order the last time. He had a lot of tattoos, at least.

Another guy was carrying a camera around. He left it on the counter and looked at him as he took some decorated cupcakes from the shopwindow. Dan just smiled at him.

"Would you mind keeping an eye on that while I serve that table over there?" He said. He had british accent and a fringe. Dan's smile widened

"Sure." and he was rewarded with a smile as well.

The guy walked away and Dan glanced over at the camera. It was small but not as basic as his own. Dan sometimes had filmed something at home. He usually waited until everyone was out or asleep and the videos were very well hidden in his laptop. They were never longer than five minutes. But it was obvious that this guy used it quite frecuently and, Dan took it just to check, yes, it was still filmimg. He liked that, he had always meant to do that, film everything and everyone. But the idea of looking at a five-hours long footage of him doing nothing all day was not attractive at all. Maybe, Dan thought as he put the camera down, if one day his life turned out to be interesting he would do it.

"Thank you, has Frank taken your order already?" the guy asked coming back and pointing at the tattoed man.

"He did, thanks." The guy smiled at him and took his camera.

"Frank, I'm going inside!" He yelled.

"Tell Gerard to call Zoe! She should be here already!"

"Sure!" He said entering the back room.

Not even three minutes after that another guy emerged from the same door.

"Zoe will be late today. She has a situation." He informed.

Frank groaned.

"How long?"

"After lunch. More, probably."

"Okay uhm," Frank frowned and then looked back at the black haired man in the door. "What do we do?"

"We could see if is okay for any of the guys to come and help..."

"You do that, Gerard, I'm gonna keep serving."

Gerard nodded and entered the room again.

Dan watched as Frank served the tables alone for about ten minutes more, then Gerard reappeared.

"None of them is available at the moment."

"I have thirty cupcakes done and more on the oven, what do we do?" The camera guy asked behind Gerard. They looked at each other, the three of them in evident distress.

Dan thought about it for a moment, then raised his hand. The camera guy approached him instantly.

"Hope you enjoyed that" he said taking his cup, "that'd be-"

"I can help."

"What?" Dan hated himself for that interruption and was already regretting his own offer.

"I can help, I mean, you guys are obviously in a hurry and I am free right now so I could-"

"Guys!!" Alright, so Camera Guy was the one interupting now. "He says he can help!" He pointed at Dan and the others got close to them.

"Really? That would really help us, dude."

"Are you sure you can?"

"I can try. At least serving the tables."

"That will do. Phil, give him an apron." Frank patted Dan on the shoulder and Camera Guy told him to follow him.

They went through the door behind the counter and Ca- Phil handed him a white apron.

"Thank you so much for this."

"It's okay, I was free all day, is something- uh can you help me here?" Phil got behind him to tie the apron. Dan was too aware of this nice stranger trying not to touch his jumper. "Something to do."

"Where do you work at?" He asked as he finished tying.

"Oh I'm on college. Thanks" Dan touched the white fabric to emphasize.

"Oh is it nice?" Phil opened the oven to check on the cupcakes. "They are ready."

"It's kinda stressing to be honest, uhm do you want me to bring Gerard?"

"No, it's okay, let's head outside." They went back to the front of the coffe shop. "Hey Gerard, the cupcakes are on the oven, I already turned it off."

"Got it" he answered leaving the dirty cups on the counter. "Dan, uhm it's Dan, right?" Dan nodded. "Good, you stay here with the guys, you'll be fine." Another pat in the shoulder.

Dan doubted it. But smiled at Gerard anyways as he went back to the kitchen.

"This coffee to the lady with the big hat and this cake to the lonely guy on the back." Frank left the cup and the plate on the counter.

Dan took them and went over to the lady with the big hat. He tried not to spill the hot drink on anyone's head and luckily he succeeded. The lady smiled at him and he looked at her wondering what was wrong for about two seconds then asked:

"Anything else?" and did his best to smile.

"I didn't order a piece of cake, boy."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I- this is your uhm- your coffee I'm just gonna take this..." he removed the plate and placed the cup on the table instead. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, don't worry." She was still smiling, clearly amused but not pissed.

Dan was dying so he just went to the other table with the cake and then returned to the counter.

"Are you alright?" Phil asked.

"Yeah, yeah how about you?" Damn Daniel, he internally face-palmed. Phil just giggled.

"One tea, two coffees and this plate of biscuits for the three girls there" he pointed. "But here, you take the cup of tea, wich is for the one with short hair, and the biscuits." And as he spoke he took the two cups of coffee and signed for Dan to follow him. "Hello, ladies, here's your coffee" Phil looked at him and Dan left the tea in front of the girl with short hair and the biscuits on the table. "Anything else? Alright, let's go, Dan."

"Was that okay?"

"Yes, you worry to much." Wow brand new information. "Let's keep working."

"Yeah."

Dan served tables for about three more hours without dying nor killing anyone. Frank was always there making coffee and stuff and eventually he served some tables too. Phil went to the kitchen and about five minutes after Gerard joined the team on the shop. They were nice, the three of them, and after a while Dan felt somewhat more comfortable. A little before two pm Frank put the 'closed' sign on and by 2:00 there were no costumers left.

"I vote for lunch!" Frank said for everyone to hear entering the kitchen. Gerard and Dan followed him and took off their aprons.

"Where can we go?" Gerard asked running a hand trough his hair.

"To your brother's, as usual."

"Right, I'm gonna call him." he said leaving the room.

"It's fast food, you don't need reservations" laughed Frank. "Phil, you close the kitchen."

"Sure." And Frank left. Dan looked awkwardly at Phil, while he covered the bread dough with a sheet. "Let's go."

They left the kitchen, Phil locked the door, and then left the coffee shop. Frank and Gerard were already outside. Gerard locked the cofee shop door and they started walking. Dan stood there, next to the door, not sure about what to do with himself until Frank turned around and said:

"Hey you comin', kiddo?"

"What with you?"

"Sure thing, Dan." Gerard smiled at him and Phil made a space between him and Frank.

"C'mon."

Dan hesitated for a second but placed himself next to Frank and Phil. The three guys were actually nice to him, actually wanted him around. Dan smiled to himself and rested a hand on the shoulder strap of his backpack, keeping his cool, as the four of them walked to get lunch. It was quite a long walk, but Dan didn't use his earphones nor needed them. That was a change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can check this on wattpad, same title and username. I'm on instagram, same username as well.  
> I already wrote chapter four so it won't be late! ;)  
> Are you enjoying this?


	4. It's Cold Tonight As The Clouds Turn Gray

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically, the continuation of the last chapter, in which we saw Dan volunteering to help the guys at the coffee shop ;)  
> Enjoy!

The walk to the food local was kinda long. When they got there, Gerard waved at a guy with glasses and the guy pointed at a table.

"That's my brother Mikey." He said. He seemed to be proud of saying that. Of pointing out that guy, Mikey, was his brother.

The four of them took a seat and left one free for Mikey.

"Cheeseburgers and fries?" Everyone in the table nodded and Gerard stood up and approached his brother.

"Well I don't know, I'm just saying a scorpion would look great in my neck."

Phil nodded. "But it would be hard to find a job."

"I already have one, and our band is really going to bop to the top."

Dan chuckled at the HSM reference.

"I'm not hiring you if you get a scorpion tattoo" joked Phil.

Dan was comfortable enough to make a comment.

"I want to get my ears pierced."

"That would be rad," Frank approved.

Phil nodeed again and Dan wanted to add something, anything, just to stop the conversation from dying. But his phone rang.

Dan excused himself and went out.

"Hello?" He flinched even before hearing his mother's harsh voice.

"Where are you? Your brother is asking where you are!" He looked at the guys through the window to make sure they weren't paying any attention to him. They weren't.

"I went to drink-"

"Excuse me?"

"-a cup of coffee." Dan used the pause his mother made to add: "Yeah, the guys at the coffee shop were having trouble keeping up with all of the people there so I stayed to help."

"Are they paying you?"

"I don't know, we are gonna have lunch now."

She thought about it for a second.

"Okay, yes, you can stay as long as you wish." And Dan knew it was about him making friends.

"Thank you, I'll call you later." He hung up before she could add anything else but made sure to think he loved her before going back inside.

Frank was sat alone on the table. When he saw Dan's confussion face, he pointed at Phil who was on the phone a couple tables away.

"What happened?" He asked returning to his seat.

"Zoe just called," he pointed again and placed both elbows on the table. "She's quiting the job." Frank explained shrugging. He scratched his eye in an uncomfortable gesture and entwined his fingers under his nose.

Dan motioned the position and asked:

"What are you gonna do?"

Frank looked briefly at Phil and then the brothers who were chatting next to the counter.

"I guess we are going to be on the hunt for someone else. There's no much to it. I just wonder why she's leaving so unexpectedly."

They both looked over to Phil and stayed quiet for a couple of minutes. He had one hand on the phone and the other one in his neck. His mouth was a perfect circle. Then he finally smiled. They couldn't hear what he said but it sure was a cheerful tone.

Phil finally hung up, and returned to the table on the verge of tears. He took a deep breath as he sat down.

"Are you okay?" Frank asked. Inmediately.

"Yeah, yes, I-uhm we talked and she said that this was a last minute thing, that she had a thing with his brother and they were going to visit their mother before heading to the USA for a couple of months. So I wished her and Joe luck and she started crying."

"She's such crybaby." Frank said. That made Phil smile.

"There's party at her place tonight. I mean, she doesn't know but we are gonna get her something nice before she leaves tomorrow."

"Sure thing!"

"Hey, honey!" Frank turned around and saw Gerard waving at him from the counter. "Your order is ready!"

"Coming!" Frank went to help the brothers with the food. He explained the situation to them, too.

Dan stared awkwardly at Phil who was trying to see what the guys had got for him.

"Do you come here often?"

"Are you flirting?" Dan nearly choked while Phil laughed it off. "We eat this almost everyday at lunch. Sometimes, though" and he leaned closer as if he was telling a secret, "sometimes we make a sweet ass cake for lunch."

Dan nodded, not knowing what to say. Saying "awesome" would make him sound dull but saying "nice" would make it seem like he had no interest in the conversation.

"Will you guys be needing help this afternoon?"

"Oh I'm so glad you asked, I didn't know how to ask that of you, you already did so much for us earlier at the coffee shop. I'm gonna bake something for you."

"It's not necessary-"

"Nonsenses!" Phil smiled at him. His smile was bright and full of gratitude. Even though they were sitting, Dan could still see he was a bit taller than him and by "a bit" he meant a whole head taller than him.

His hair was pitch black and cut in a fringe. And his eyes were a light tone of grey.

Dan found it in himself to smile back at him.

Frank and the brothers brought food and handed Dan a cheeseburger.

"Here, is on us." Said Frank, then turned to Phil. "Cheeseburger without cheese... for Phil."

"Yes!"

"So this is the guy?" Asked Mikey grabbing a handful of french fries from the box in the middle of the table, leaving Dan speechless.

Gerard giggled.

"The guy is right in front of you, watch your manners."

"Oh," he coughed, "sure. You are the guy that helped them in the morning, uhm-" he thought about it for a second, "Gabriel, right?"

"It's Daniel, actually" he managed, "but yes, you can call me Dan."

"Well it was an angel name, I was close." He wiped his hand in his raggedy pants and extended it to Dan to shake. "I'm Michael, but you must call me Mikey." And there was no sign of threat in his voice, but Dan shivered.

He looked over to Gerard for confirmation. He nodded back at him with widened eyes, as if to emphasize.

"Angel name, I see." Dan shook his hand and Mikey laughed lightly before grabbing another handful of french fries and shoving half in his mouth.

Frank snickered and stuck the straw in his drink. Phil took a huge bite of his cheeseburger without cheese and smiled at him. The conversation resumed.

"How about you?" Dan asked.

Gerard shook his head repeatedly and Frank laughed out loud.

"He's fucking scared of needles." Mikey fixed his glasses, giggling.

"The guy can't even take a look at my tattoos if the skin is still red around."

They all laughed.

"Dying my hair, though, that I'd do."

"You have dyed your hair."

"Yeah, well, if you squint you can still see some green here" he pointed at the portion of his hair right on top of his forehead, "though it was supposed to be blue." He chuckled. "But I'm planning on doing it again, of course."

"Can't wait." Muttered Frank.

They finally said goodbye to Mikey and walked back to the coffee shop, and a block away Phil started running.

"What's go-" Dan interrupted himself when Frank started running after Phil.

"There's like 15 people waiting outside!" Gerard grabbed Dan's wrist and started running as well.

"Ah fuck no," because he was running and his wrist really hurt like that. They made it to the front door right as Phil was unlocking it. Gerard pushed Dan inside and ran behind the counter. He tossed Dan an apron. Frank entered a second after them, he had talked to the people waiting outside.

"I told them they'd have to wait while we opened." He catched the apron Gerard tossed at him. For a moment the four of them tied their aprons but after a second Dan was the only one still fumbling to get it right. "Phil!" Frank called out as he indicated Dan to turn around. "Put the bread in the oven!" He commanded finishing the knot.

"Okidokie."

"Dan, get the tables ready, chairs on the floor, napkins on each table."

"Yes, sir."

"Gerard, coffee."

"On it, sweetheart." Gerard winked at him and turned the coffee machine on.

"And wash your hands before touching food!"

Frank helped Phil with the oven and Gerard joined Dan with the napkins.

"We're ready to open!" Gerard yelled for the guys in the kitchen to hear.

"Go ahead!"

"It's always this busy on christmas?"

"Frank says it is," Gerard opened the door and greeted the customers. There were now like twenty of them. "Hand some menus, will ya?"

It was a busy busy afternoon. They spent the whole time running across the coffee shop, taking orders and trying not to spill coffee or make customers furious.

At the end of the day they had even taken off their sweaters. Dan had cleaned more tables than he had his entire life and was exhausted, so were the boys.

"Just a normal day at the coffee shop, uh?"

"Oh, no." Phil flopped in the chair across from him. "It's usually more quiet, around christmas it's colder-"

"And people are feeling the spirit of sharing and caring." Finished Gerard from behind the counter. Phil pointed at him to express his agreement.

"How about we have some cake and coffee and call it a day?" Frank proposed.

"Coffee's on the way." Gerard turned the coffee machine on once more.

"Great I'll wash some cups." Frank entered the kitchen.

"I'll help you."

Dan looked at Phil, who was resting his elbow in the table and his head in his hand. He had closed his eyes and was breathing deeply. Dan followed the smooth lines of his face with his eyes, the curve of his nose and his neck and shoulders. Phil wasn't handsome, he decided.

"Thank you for staying to help," Phil said opening his eyes and looking at him.

"No problem," Dan didn't know why was he still repeating that. He somehow couldn't form a different phrase.

"I hope we didn't ruin your studying schedule."

Just like that, Dan was forced to remember he didn't belong with them. He didn't belong with this smiling guy who was older than him, or this tattoed guy with a freaking band, or that guy that used his free time buying comics. He was a lost boy in college that didn't even have a place on his own. How messed up was that? Almost like he wasn't a person, not quite yet. He was a dependant being, what was he doing here? Talking to the big boys while pretending that he didn't live with his mom and that he knew how to manage his life. But hey, this wasn't elementary school anymore, he was not talking to the "big boys", he was talking to people. People like him. In fact, Phil probably didn't mean it in a mean way. He shot a tiny smile at Phil.

"I just got my vacations today."

"Oh that's great! Is university hard?" And woah, he seemed really interested.

"Is not exactly pleasant" he shrugged, "but it's okay, I guess." That was a lame answer so he just changed the subject. "Have you been working on the coffee shop for long?"

"Like three years. We started off from nothing, me and Frank. It was hard but we finally found a cheap place for sale." He looked around. "It really needed to be fixed. But we made it."

"Are you telling that story again?" Frank chuckled from the kitchen door.

"Oh, I'm sorry, it's probably boring you."

Dan wanted to assure him that it was actually very interesting, but Frank placed a plate with a big cake slice in front of them and only then he noticed how hungry he was. He politely awaited for Gerard to bring the coffee and then they all ate.

"Well" Frank paused to swallow, "it took us around six months to get this place ready and going. He saved money for ages and we worked our asses off to paint and repair the walls."

Apparently it had been Phil's idea. Dan enjoyed his food and the story, hearing about how the old lady that sold them the local had three cats and one of them had black strips, and that lady swore she could see the others in colours. Frank had intoxicated himself when he stayed too long in a freshly painted room and breathed in all that stuff. Phil's grandma taught him to bake and Frank had learned by himself and with a little of Phil's help. Gerard had arrived at the coffee shop about a year and a half ago. Still, this was his first Christmas working.

"I took vacations." He clarified.

Frank looked away from him and let out a tiny "yeah" before sipping from his coffee.

"Hey, Dan, I baked something for you" Phil suddenly stood up and started walking to the kitchen motioning for Dan to follow. "I know it's not much but... here." He handed him a plastic box with six cupcakes, all of them of the same shade of grey and with the same decorations.

"Woah they're so pretty, thank you!" Dan accepted the box eagerly and opened it in the spot. He bit one and looked at Phil. It seemed like he was seekimg approval so he nodded. "It's really good." He bit down again, his mouth filled with the sweet flavored texture.

"I'm glad you like them."

They went back to the front.

"Don't try to tell me-"

"It's none of your business!" Gerard hushed him.

Dan felt really uncomfortable when Frank and Gerard looked over at them. Frank grabbed his backpack aggressively and headed to the door.

"A pleasure to meet you, Dan. Feel free to come back anytime." He nodded at Phil and left.

"Frank! Oh gosh-" Gerard stood up and rushed to the door. "I'm sorry, Dan. See ya'round!" He left too.

In the following minutes of silence they could hear Gerard screaming Frank's name.

"Do they- do they argue often?"

"That was a specially tense subject, they always argue over it."

Dan wondered what subject was he talking about, but didn't ask more questions.

"I can help you to close the shop."

Phil smiled warmly.

"Thank you."

They cleaned the tables and the oven, washed the dishes and swiped the floor. Phil counted the money of the day and registered it on a book while Dan put the chairs on the tables.

Phil closed the kitchen and put on his jacket before going out and closing the shop.

"Where do you walk to?"

Dan pointed to the left and they both started walking that way.

The wind was blowing, it was barely snowing. Phil fixed his scarf, Dan was hugging the plastic box with five cupcakes inside.

"Aren't you cold?"

Dan shivered.

"Nah."

It was quite dark already. The sky was weird. Not quite black. Dan felt dizzy. Not quite black, again.

He felt for a moment the need to ask Phil if the sky was weird for him too. He didn't, though it was the weirder he had seen it before.

Phil stopped at the bus stop. Dan took three steps more before noticing.

"I take the bus from here."

Oh gosh, how do you say goodbye to someone you've just met?

"I walk from here."

"Is your house too far from here?"

"Not really."

He saw the relief in Phil's face, of course the guy was too sweet to not being able to let him walk alone in the dark. Someone ran between them to the bus that was approaching. It was starting to snow harder.

"That's my bus." Phil had no idea of how to say goodbye either. He started to walk towards the bus. He waved.

"Well bye, I might be going tomorrow!"

Phil, who was already in the steps of the bus, smiled widely at that.

"See you then!"

Dan nodded and turned around quickly. He opened his backpack and took his earphones, then started walking.

The snow was quite intense barely five minutes after leaving the bus stop. Almost everyone had ran from the weather to a warmer place. Dan thought that he should probably hurry up and do the same.

He decided to fuck it.

He rolled up his sleeves and felt the cool air against his forearms. His hair was all wet and his chest was starting to feel tight, like it was hard to breath. The box protected the cupcakes all the way to his house.

When he reached his front door, he stuck his hand in his pocket and grabbed the keys. He checked the sky before stepping inside. It was still weird.

"Dan is that you?"

The heat hit him like a couch cushion, unexpectedly and making his eyes ache.

"Yes!"

He ran to his room immediately trying to hide his soaked sweater. Changing clothes immediately was the best option so he picked a shirt and sweater from the closet. Once changed he wrapped a towel around his head and took off his shoes.

His mom came into the room.

"There you are!" She was smiling.

"Sorry I'm late."

"It's okay, how was it?"

Yeah, so, his relationship with his mom wasn't that bad. She was totally irrational sometimes and other times it was really easy to talk to her. He was convinced that she wasn't paying total attention to him but they could talk. She worried, often too much, about him. But she could be, and had been, not careful with what she said and Dan secretely blamed her for some of his internal conflicts.

"Good." Too short. "Good, it was fun."

"Yeah?"

"I didn't kill anyone." She rolled her eyes, but her smile stayed. "I served the tables and helped this guy, Phil, to close the shop. Is the one like six blocks in that direction." He added, pointing to the general area of the coffee shop.

"Are you getting a permanent job in there?"

"I don't think they will be needing anyone. I think this was more of a one-time thing." And he knew that was a lie. He just didn't want to think a bout getting a job, c'mon his vacation just started.

"Hm." Dan was almost certainly about to hear a speech about adulthood, but it didn't came. "What are those?" She asked instead.

She was pointing at the box in his bed.

"Phil paid me with cupcakes."

"They look pretty."

"And taste even better." Fuck. Now he had lo let her have one. He opened the box and his hand hovered above it, while he had a debate with himself. Would he give her the ugliest? Or the prettiest? He tried not to sigh when he took the latter and handed it to her. "But don't let my brother know." And he felt so childish saying that.

She just nodded before tasting the cupcake.

The phone rang, which was a complete inconvenience because Dan wanted to know what his mum thought about the cupcake.

He took off his socks and trousers and changed into pajama pants. His mp3 fell off his pocket and he connected it to the outlet behind the tv.

He also connected the hairdryer and proceeded to dry his hair before spending the whole Christmas break with a cold.

The bus took around 15 minutes to take him home. For Phil it seemed like an eternity. All he wanted was to get home and check the folded paper hanging in his room.

Frank and Gerard's argument had cancelled the little get together they had planned for Zoe.

He texted her to check if she needed anything. She texted him back almost immediately, saying that she was already on the bus with her brother. Phil told her that they had found a boy who helped them and wished her well.

He jumped off the bus in his stop and ran uspstairs to his apartment. He slammed his bedroom door open and his eyes started scanning the folded paper.

There, next to the last color, another square wasn't grey anymore.

Phil smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo guys, I'm so sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I don't have a proper reason so I will just say I'm really sorry and I will try to post more often from now on!


	5. Bakers Gonna Bake

Frank arrived late that day. He approached the counter slowly, until he made visual contact with Phil. He got the message instantly: we don't talk about last night. Alright then. Phil smiled softly at him. It wasn't the first time Frank didn't want to talk about that stuff.

A costumer raised his hand from a table. Phil went to it.

The morning went like usual, except there was no time for talking as there were only two serving.

Around ten, Gerard arrived. His hair was wet and he was wearing yesterday's clothes.

Phil decided they weren't ready to stay alone so he sent Frank to decorate cupcackes and tried to talk to Gerard.

He was avoiding him, focusing only on serving, not even making eye contact with him. Phil assumed they would talk to him eventually, like they always did, and hopefully they would talk to each other this time too.

Between Frank and Phil, things were easy. Frank wasn't one for oversharing but would tell him anything Phil asked about. With Gerard, though... He knew they had this... thing, going on. The kind of relationship were they great friends, close enough to talk about stuff that Phil knew but had only once or twice talked about it with them; but also the kind of friendship that has the potential to turn into something different. Complicated.

The camera lied neglected next to the coffee machine, he wasn't going to turn it on just to film his friends being evasive.

Almost an hour after Gerard arrived, the costumers were few and Frank disappeared inside the kitchen.

"Would you mind if I film a little here?" Phil raised his voice above the conversations, pointing at his camera. No one complained and the conversations resumed.

"It's still raining from last night. Good for business, according to Frank." He pointed the camera at the kitchen door, which was closed. "He and Gerard had a bit of an argument yesterday. It's going to be a year since it happened but Frank's still not over it. I don't blame him. I'm just going to wait for them to sort things out." The door bell rang and Phil turned around, holding the camera in front of his face. The skinny guy greeted him from the door and attempted to cover his face, making his way to the counter. "Dan!"

He sat in front of Phil. Dropping his backpack on the floor next to him. He took off his scarf and removed his hair from his face.

"There's a hell of a wind out there."

"What are you doing here?"

Dan's smile froze for a second before answering. The idea of not being wanted running through his mind.

"I just..." he shrugged. No big deal, no big deal, no big deal. "Just figured I could have some breakfast here and help you out, like yesterday."

Phil removed the camera from his face, smiling widely.

"That angel name fits you, Dan."

Usually at the coffee shop the shifts were six-hours long. Christmas, though, was a special ocassion. Just four of them stayed there, no sunday and half saturday. They also closed the shop a tad earlier so it wasn't that inhuman, as Frank explained. That made around 9 hours per day, plus six from Saturday, 51 hours that week (they didn't work the 25). The good part? Christmas season payed better, with tips and the extra hours, and they got a week and a half free after Christmas.

Dan decided to stay, helping them with only the tables, due to his inexperience in baking and the lack of time to teach him.

Gerard and Frank were good again. In fact, everyone acted as if nothing had happened.

By the end of the week, 24th in the afternoon, Dan (his stomach) could confirm that Phil knew how to bake. They thanked him for that week and asked for confirmation for the next Saturday, though it was not strictly necessary as it was just half day. Dan decided to go nonetheless, making them smile wider.

That Saturday during lunch, the shop was already closed and wouldn't be opened again until Monday morning, they all went to the fast food local Mikey worked on. Phil had gifted him with two boxes of the usual cupcakes and Dan was starting to feel the extra belly he was getting from them.

In the middle of lunch, they thanked him again for everything he had done for them, when he didn't even know them.

"I know you guys now!"

Frank playfully hit him.

"It was kind of you to go volunteer on the deal."

"I was bored." Dan shrugged it off, the whole thanking thing was starting to make him nauseous.

"We want to make you an offer." Frank stated, eyeing Phil.

"I mean, we know that you are studying but..."

"Me and Phil were thinking that we really need to cover those shifts." Frank was always quick to catch Phil's leftovers of phrases. Phil nodded.

"So, if you can make yourself the time, Dan, well, we're offering you to have the job."

Dan stared at them, trying to process this new information. He was being offered a job. He could feel the four of them looking at him and he felt the need to say something.

"I don't know how to bake." He stuttered out.

Phil shrugged.

"That can be fixed." Frank nodded next to him and Gerard and his brother did the same. Dan found himself nodding back at them and Phil smiled.

Dan clutched the piece of paper in his hand when he was alone in his room. He sighed as he closed his bedroom door and closed his eyes.

The numbers on the paper seemed to claw at him and burn his skin. Phil had told him to think about it during the weekend, about the job.

He had initially thought about sharing it with the family at dinner. But then he came to the conclusion that his parents would probably be thrilled. He could arrange something with his classes, damn he already had fridays off. Accepting the job was probably the best way to get rid of all that dead time.

That dead time that just made him think too much.

Dan typed the number into his phone and held it against his ear.

One ring, two rings, three. Phil hung up.

Dan's heart fell for a moment.

His cellphone started vibrating a second after.

"Hello?"

"Dan? Oh hey, Dan. So, you thought about the job?"

"I accept."

"Great! Gotta go, I'll talk to you later!" Phil hung up again.

"Sure..."

He tossed his phone on his bed and opened the window. The cold air filled the room. Phil had ended the conversation abruptly. But, was there anything else to talk about? Still, Dan wondered what had he done wrong and what could he have said to make him stay longer on the phone. Maybe he was just busy.

He remembered Frank and Gerard's behaviour the first day. And the rest of the week. How they seemed to be close friends. The three of them. They've known each other for a long time, he decided. Maybe, one day, he could say that he's known someone for a long time too.

Now, that would be Tyler. But then again, he and Tyler weren't that close. When had been the last time they even texted each other? Oh yeah, more than a week ago.

The house was empty, which was weird. Where the hell was his brother? He took the tiny seat hidden in a corner of his room under a pile of clothes and put it in front of the keyboard.

He took piano lessons for a while, in high school. The good part: the piano. The bad part: the lessons. Trying to learn a certain amount every week was driving him insane. He stopped going and had finally dropped out.

He still had this cool keyboard, though. Not too much but certainly very useful. The keys had a proper weight and he could change the intensity of the sound (from piano to forte). It also had the full lenght of a piano. He knew the basics: Minuet in G by Bach, a few Tarantellas, and all the little songs that were in that book buried deep in the closet.

Dan connected it and turned it on, then sat on the tiny seat, stretching his back and flexing his fingers. He closed his eyes and directed his hands to the keyboard. Hovering over the keys.

His fingers found the way to the correct notes from touch, he pressed C minor (fourth finger of the left hand on C, first finger of the right hand on the next C, second finger on E flat, fourth finger on G). He let the chord ring for a moment before playing a song by memory. It was fast and dark and sad.

Taking deep breaths he opened his eyes and continued playing, the cold air mixing in his lungs and lighting up the fire in his arms, the song getting softer, stronger and more agressive at the winds will. "You have to tell a story with the song. Turn it into your song." His teacher had said. But what was his song about?

Posture. Dan sunk his shoulders and raised his neck, arms hanging low and allowing swifter movements with his wrists. His pinky was hitting the lowest note harder every time, getting a more solid sound and a deeper resonance. He closed his eyes again when he came to the end of the song, slowing down and finally letting the last chord ring.

A Fall Out Boy song started playing somewhere on his bed.

He stretched again and got up.

Phil. The screen read.

"Hello?"

"Hey Dan, are you free tomorrow?"

"Uhm, I guess." He scratched his head. "Why?"

"Because the coffee shop will be empty, we all get a free Sunday. I just bought extra ingredients so if you'd like to learn..." he left the phrase hanging.

Dan was tired, but he still had a week off and actually nothing to do. Besides, Phil was being nice, he might as well could be nice in return.

"Oh, sure! What time?"

"What's fine with you?"

Dan sat back. "Whatever's fine with you." He said, letting his free hand wander around the keys again, this time without pressing anything.

"Let's say... ten in the morning? Is that okay?"

Traffic and lots of people were heard in the background.

"Yes, ten in the morning, got it."

He didn't say anything to his family, not formally, at least. Why announce it?

"I'm going out!" He yelled from the door at nine past forty two. "See you later!" He shut the door and started undoing the knot in his earbuds. Eighteen minutes, that was nearly five songs.

The shop had the "closed" sign on, but the door was open. The door bell rang and Phil's head popped out of the kitchen instantly.

"You're early."

"By like three minutes."

Phil chuckled.

"Still."

Dan took off his earbuds and put them in his pocket. The song had just finished.

"Wash your hands."

Phil taught him the basics: floor, egg, salt, 30 minutes in the oven and be careful not to burn your hands; when to use and not to use baking powder; and coloring icing.

"The containers are named in case you can't see colors yet." There was a question hidden somewhere. Dan just shook his head. "We are not going to make you bake just yet, so relax. Any questions?"

"How many hours per week?"

"Let's have lunch, shall we?"

They turned off the oven and checked the bread. Some were a careful circle and some were uglier, to say the least. But they were all white and golden, without any burnt spots. And it had an amazing smell.

Phil handed him some papers on the counter, while they were enjoying their bread with a cup of coffee.

"I mean, you already said yes, you might as well sign." He seemed too cheery for someone who had just spent half Sunday baking with a total ignorant. "The specifications are there as well." He gave him some time to read the whole thing, both of them sipping on their cups.

"So, Wednesday afternoon, the whole Friday and Saturday Morning." Dan said after a while, trying to calculate if his schedule was fine with this.

"Yeah I remember you mentioning you had Fridays off and short Wednesdays. I thought about leaving you with free Sundays. Just in case."

It did fit. Dan scribbled his name on the paper and slided it over to Phil.

A bright smile appeared on the man's face as he held his hand out for Dan to shake.

Phil's palm was hot because of the coffee, and his fingers were long and cold when Dan squeezed his hand, smiling back. The deal was sealed.

They parted at the bus stop again.

"So, we can't bake here this week?" Dan asked instead of walking.

"The guys are going to be here, the shop opens tomorrow. Lindsey, Charlie, Louise and Cat are taking over the place." It hadn't occurred to Dan that other people worked here too. "But they're all nice, don't worry." Dan still wondered if the other girl, the one who left, was too close to them. Were they all close likethis three?

"I'm gonna practice on my own this week then." The bus was approaching.

"You can always give me a call if you need anything."

"Thanks."

"Thank you, Dan." He waved as he was getting into the bus. Dan waved back and the bus was gone.

He watched it leave for a second before turning around and walking home. It was 01:29 p.m. and he was amazed to find he had no missed calls when he checked. He untied his earbuds and plugged them in.

His brother opened the door when he was starting to look for his keys.

"Where are you going?"

"To a friend's house, I'm late." He stormed past him and disappeared around the corner.

"Don't leave the door open!" His mom came to the door, where she found him. "Oh, Dan, where were you?"

"I went to the coffee shop, Phil was trying to teach me how to bake." He offered her the backpack with the bread. The house was warm and noise came from the living room. Dan raised his eyebrows.

"Your grandmother is here." She sighed as if she hated to give him the news. Dan rolled his eyes. His grandmother was actually the only visit he liked.

The dog raised its head from were it was resting on the floor next to Dan's grandmother feet to look at him. He let her kiss his face and hugged her, then gave some soft pats to the dog's head.

"Let me look at you." She held his face and smiled. "You are so grown up. Are you studying, uh?"

"First year of laws."

"That's my boy. Any ladies yet, Daniel?" He shook his head and she mimicked him. "A handsome boy like you shouldn't take too long to find a girlfriend. Here, don't tell your mother." And with that she patted his face and stuffed some money into his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been so busy but I've finally been able to put this together, hope you enjoyed :)


	6. All I Want For Christmas Is...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So sorry I disapeared!!! As I don't have a valid excuse I invite all of you who are interested in Yuri On Ice to read my other works 

A few blocks away from Dan's house, in opposite direction from the coffee shop, there was a park. A corner of it was full of trees, of which, Dan had only ever climbed one.

The whole place was empty during winter. There was too much loose ground and the snow and the rain just made a mess and everything was slippery and cold. Dan didn't mind.

He would climb that one tree and look around. He had watched children running and screaming, and worried mothers watching them. He had enjoyed improvised football games. He had even witnessed a first kiss and the time some teenagers accidentally set fire to some bushes. In the winter, Dan became attached to its loneliness, to the dirty white of it all, and the cold.

The first time he climbed that tree, his heart had just been broken for the first time. He was fifteen. And he was angry and sad and very frustrated. It wasn't his fault that he couldn't see colours!

Because he had not only never seen colours. Fifteen year-old Dan knew he never would. He had learned that at age eight, when his parents sat him down and explained it to him.

"We think you should know..."

"Some people just never..."

"Exams... the doctor... potentially damaged cones..."

"We're so sorry, Daniel."

Dan wanted to burn the tree down. He climbed.

He should have never told that girl that he would most probably never see colours. No one wants to deal with a broken person.

He should have never listened to his parents that one time. It hadn't really downed on him back then. But with the years it had had an effect.

The snow greeted his sore eyes when he raised his head from where he was crying. He liked snow. It was white and cold and there was nothing else to it. It felt real.

Dan wanted to feel real.

Since that time, he started to go weekly. To breath, cry and even read and peacefully listen to music. College, though, had almost erased that.

When Dan stepped into the bland snow that cold monday morning, the park was empty. His tree was almost completely stripped, and sitting in his usual spot, a foot on the branch under him and the other leg settled in the branch by his side, he saw a bird had made its home a few branches above.

He took a deep breath but didn't close his eyes. Instead, he directed them to the sky and the rest of the tree over him.

The week ended way too fast and he was back in university. Tyler greeted him at the cafeteria, settling his lunch in front of Dan and sitting down.

"How was your holiday?" He smiled.

Apparently I got a job.

"Nothing much, how about you?" Dan bit down on his sandwich. He had made it himself. His own ugly and slightly burnt piece of bread.

Tyler went on and on about a really hot dude he met at the store two days ago and how he ended up almost throwing penaut butter at him. Dan half-heard him, his mind being a busy mess of "I got a job" playing in a loop. He nodded once in a while and that seemed to make Tyler happy.

"Nice piercing, Lind." Gerard said sweetly as a greeting to the girl while she picked up the money from a table.

"Thanks. You're late." She was kinda angry. Gerard smiled stupidly and raised his left hand. A plastic bag was hanging from it.

"I got comics!" Lind walked past him and continued doing her job.

"How about you fix the coffee machine and we take a look at those babies later?" Frank asked from the counter.

Gerard looked at him.

"You made her late for a date." Frank whispered. Then he shrugged and raised the right corner of his lip. Charlie came out of the kitchen and gestured for Gerard to follow him back inside.

There were 45 perfectly round and baked cupcakes on the table.

"I've got to go now, so you get to decorate them."

"Anything special in mind?"

Charlie shook his head while washing his hands and took off the white apron that was covered in floor. "I'll leave that to you." Gerard looked at the cupcakes, trying to decide what to do with them. "See you tomorrow!" He left the kitchen waving at him.

Dan almost ran into Charlie in his way inside the coffee shop. They quickly said hello.

Charlie was a nice guy. As nice as the other guys. There was also Louise, a lovely blond that was the first to hug him when Frank and Phil introduced him to the rest of the "crew", as Frank liked to call them; Cat, brunette and smiley; and Lind, that made the most delicious cookies and had black hair. She was also nice but she was one of keeping distances.

It was fine by Dan, he had only one shift with her anyways.

After three weeks working there, he was getting used to the rhythm of the coffee shop. Frank eating spoonfuls of sugar, Gerard showing off his new comic books, Cat showing off her perfect nails, Louise's warm hugs, Charlie's obsession with Doctor Who, Lind giving him cookies every once in a while, Phil's bright smile behind the camera.

Serving hot cups was also getting easier (and he still hadn't burnt anyone). And him messing up the orders was happening less frequently now.

When he received his first salary from Frank and Phil and got asked if he wanted to continue, he didn't think twice. Now he had a permanent job.

He didn't even know what to do with that money, so he kept it in a box at the back of his closet, under his old music sheets.

School, though, wasn't going that well. He still had four years and a half to go and just the thought of that was driving him insane.

Phil blew the candles of the cake Frank had made for him.

"Did you make a wish?" Phil nodded and laughed. He was 23 years old. All he had asked for was, colours.

Dan and Gerard were leaning on the counter looking at comics. It was a lazy Saturday morning and Phil was on the kitchen doing god-knows-what.

Frank arrived two hours late, at ten. He left some plastic bags in front of the guys.

"Valentine's week." He said.

"I think the term you are looking for is day."

Frank pushed Gerard.

"Week, you moron. We need to prepare for Valentine's day, that happens next Sunday, and that includes baking and decorating pink and red velvet cupcakes. So I bought this labeled food coloring and edible flowers and hearts, because people buy everything during this week."

"How much did you buy?" Phil asked coming out of the kitchen and inspecting the bags. "Frank, good or bad news first?"

"Good news."

"Well the good news... I just got a call from a public organization, wait." He went inside the kitchen and came back with the camera. He turned it on and left it on the counter, so all of them fit in the frame. "I just got a call from a public organization, and they require 500 red velvet decorated cupcakes. For Thursday. They were asking us to take the job."

"We first we have to consider if we can actually achieve this goal and-"

But Frank was interrupted by Phil.

"I already said yes."

"What?"

"It's good money, trust me. It will help us get a little more famous, I have a good feeling about this deal."

"I'm in." Gerard said from the counter, Frank shot him a glance. "It's Valentine's week, Frankie. We gotta make the most of it."

It looked like Frank was gonna say something but he didn't, instead he covered his face with both hands and rubbed his eyes, partially to hide his blush. He breathed in and then he spoke.

"Alright, maybe we can do it."

"What's the big deal?" Everyone looked at him and Dan knew the answer was obvious.

"They have to be freshly baked. They want them here by ten in the morning, that means they have to be all made the night before."

"All five hundred." Gerard added, still with the head sleepily resting in his arms on the counter.

"That's quite a lot."

Frank sighed and zipped his jacket.

"I'll get more coloring and edible decorations."

Phil filmed him going out and then turned off the camera. He sat in front of Dan.

"We are going to need all the help we can get."

Dan looked terrified for a second.

"I don't think I'm ready to bake."

Phil seemed to think about that for a moment.

"Have you got any plans for tomorrow?"

Phil's loft was nice. More than enough space for one person and comfortable enough for two. They set the shop as their meeting point, because Phil had to talk to the girls and Charlie about Valentine's week.

Lind wasn't going to be able to help on Wednesday night. Charlie and Cat were there with her and Gerard, and they agreed to do it. Louise wasn't there but they were sure she was going to be able to bake all night.

Dan walked to the shop and him and Phil took the bus from the nearest bus stop.

It took them 15 minutes or so to get there.

"I lived in the USA for a couple months." He said, then he explained that he was renting this place. "Feel yourself at home."

Dan left his backpack on the kitchen floor and washed his hands after Phil.

"You are a good student," he said. Dan thought he was a great teacher.

They baked and decorated 16 cupcakes. Four Phil did as a demonstration, four they both decorated together and the eight that Dan painted by himself. It didn't have to be perfect yet, and he was fairly good already, Phil had said. As long as he was aware of how to properly mix stuff and didn't burn anything, they were good.

Just like the last time, they made themselves a cup of coffee and sat down to eat their creations.

"We have to do this more often."

That was exactly what Dan was thinking.

"Yeah, it's fun," he said. He looked around at the decorations and the pictures.

A blonde woman smiled warmly at him from the frame hanging in a corner of the room. She was next to a guy and both of them seemed to be related to Phil.

The only oven at the coffee shop was big enough to fit 54 cupcakes. That meant almost 10 different groups. Wednesday night was their chance. From what Dan had gathered, they were trying to make the coffee shop a big deal. Trying to make it known, popular.

"Do you have a web page?" Dan asked one day.

"Frank doesn't think it's necessary."

They made a facebook page for the coffee shop. Dan was happy he could help with things.

By the time next christmas came, Phil could already see one quarter of the complete chart of colours. He was too busy with the coffee shop business to worry about anything else, though. He was still hanging out with the guys and Dan, of course. But their baking lessons had turned into movie time with the rest of the staff and eventually, into movie nights, just the two of them on the couch or the floor. It made Dan's heart beat fast.

"Pulp Fiction? Kill Bill?"

"Anything with Uma Thurman on it, Dan." Phil sat comfortably on his bed, hugging a plate with muffins. "These are really good by the way, raspberry does give them a nice touch."

"Maybe we should add them to the menu."

"We have a whole week to think about it." He took another bite as Dan got up and approached him. "Will you stay here?"

It warmed Dan's heart.

"I have class on Wednesday."

"That's not true!"

"I have a test that day, though, because our teacher loves us." Dan sat down as Phil rolled his eyes.


End file.
